Based on discussions with Sankarit youth workers during participant observa-tion visits, youth work with youth with disabilities and non-disabled youth is basically the same. The same social work tools and principles apply to both.
In practice, there is some differences in the needs of youth with disabilities and non-disabled youth. Youth with disabilities may require more support in their activities than others, for example with operating electronic systems. Differ-ences between youth work with youth with disabilities and non-disabled youth have been intentionally removed in Sankarit-activity to promote equality and to encourage inclusiveness at the youth centre. Sankarit youth workers function as youth workers for all the youth in Apaja. All the youth also share the same space and properties.
Sankarit-activity provides the youth with the possibility to create happy experi-ences together or alone. The activity is also intended to be a safe place and space for youth with disabilities to interact and socialize with others in their age group (Munstadi. Sankarit). The role of the youth workers is to facilitate that objective using social work tools such as supporting, encouraging, insuring safety and listening. As youth workers at Sankarit, it is important to respect the choices made by the youth on their preferred activities, also when they choose not to participate in any activity. In addition to these skills, youth workers must be able to assort and assess unwanted behavior such as to notice intoxication, difficulties at home, and mental health problems. On many occasions, youth workers utilize a variety of skills that even they themselves may not be aware they are using (Harrison & Wise 2010, 12-13). This might transpire in situations
where a youth worker is received as being easily approachable from the per-spective of the youth, while the youth worker only experiences that they are simply doing their jobs and socializing with the youth.
On many occasions, youth workers utilize a variety of skills that even they themselves may not be aware they are using (Harrison & Wise 2010, 12-13).
This might transpire in situations where a youth worker is received as being easily approachable from the perspective of the youth, while the youth worker only experiences that they are simply doing their jobs and socializing with the youth.
Some youth may need assistance with setting up the games and advice on how to play. It is also important to keep in mind that the main objective of a youth worker in Sankarit is to do youth work, not be a personal assistant. Youth workers are encouraged to participate in games with the youth however in no circumstance can this task affect the youth worker´s state of awareness on the other surrounding events. Youth workers must keep their focus on their actual work and never lose their attention to games.
As previously mentioned, there are no educational background requirements in order to become a Sankarit youth worker. The aforementioned skills are, however, essential in all youth work and must be addressed in the guidebook, even if only as to serve as a reminder to the new employee. It is important for a youth worker to be able to acknowledge distinct emotional states from vari-ous features that the youth choose to show and apply proper youth work tools to manage them. Based on personal work experience, I may comfortably state that a wide spectrum of emotional expression is not out of the ordinary on a typical evening. Knowing when to request support from other coworkers is an important skill. This is where the importance of reliable coworker relations comes to effect. Each youth worker also possesses different strengths that can be applied at the workplace. For example, I had previously worked as a secu-rity guard, which made me more aware of the facility’s safety features. Every youth worker works with the abilities and attributes of their own personalities.
Sankarit youth arrive and depart from Apaja by different means and from dif-ferent parts of Helsinki. In some instances, youth workers can facilitate the arrival and departure from the youth centre, by for example opening doors or checking for busses. One of the main tasks of the youth worker is also to en-sure that the facilities are accessible to everyone. Youth workers are not re-sponsible for repairing the structural problems they find, however they are ob-ligated to inform about those problems to someone in charge, for example to the Sankarit manager. It is important for the youth worker not to become just a referee at the youth centre when conflicts arise, but to also encourage sociali-zation actively. The role of the youth worker at Sankarit may often vary from promoting equality and equity to intervening in discriminatory behavior. Alt-hough, one must remember that youth do not constantly need youth workers around them, and that encouragement can easily become interruption when a situation is interpreted incorrectly. Social relations must form organically. Over-enthusiastic youth work might reduce how willing the youth are at participating in activities.
Youth workers must have the know-how on how to intervene in unwanted be-havior such as violence occurring. During the one-and-a-half-years of work experience at Sankarit, I did not encounter a single severe aggressive situation and did not hear of one occurring. The impunity of others is a serious matter at Sankarit. There is zero tolerance towards aggressive, confrontational, or overall threatening behavior. Serious discussions always take place with the youth if that transpires. As an extreme measure, those youth who are unable to follow these basic principles can be banned from participating in Sankarit activity. This been said, youth workers are encouraged to visit Rikosuhripäivystys webpages beforehand in case they need to direct youth or request for support in transgressional situations (Riku). However, as said be-fore, Sankarit is a place where youth come to create happy memories which is why situations such as these nearly never happen.
Stepping into a new environment full of new people can be frightening espe-cially if one does not know anyone from there beforehand. One of the tasks of the youth worker is attempting to ensure a pleasant first experience. There are
several different ways how to encourage youth visiting for the first time in par-ticipating in the activities. Sankarit have so-called tutors how are volunteer youth how are tasked with paying attention to possible newcomers. Their “job”
is to welcome them into the group, show them the facilities and activities, and introduce them to the other youth. Everyone shares the responsibility to make sure that no one is left alone. Sankarit youth workers organize the informal training and guidance of the tutors.
Each Sankarit evening is concluded with time dedicated to a lighter version of group debriefing from 20:30 until 21:00. Debriefing is a method in which a trau-matic or stressful incident is processed guided by a professional (Tannenbaum
& Cerasoli, 2012). Based on personal experience, observation, and dialogue with other youth workers this time is extremely important for the employee’s wellbeing for at least three reasons. Firstly, youth workers can share observa-tions that others may have missed. One youth worker may wonder why a spe-cific youth had a temper or was in a bad mood, while another youth worker may have had a discussion with that youth, which they can then share with the group. This can assist to create a unified approach strategy for the next time someone encounters the youth.
Secondly, youth work can be emotionally and psychologically demanding.
Youth workers must be prepared to endure stressful conversations and situa-tions. It is natural for some discussion with the youth to touch upon sensitive areas of the youth worker. Each youth worker is also a person with their per-sonal life, and they may be going through difficult times that may affect their ability to handle stress during work. As a youth worker in Sankarit one does not need to carry the burden alone. They can disclose their worries in a safe and unjudgmental environment after each evening.
Lastly, the reason for the debriefing is to create an atmosphere of trust and to increase the bond between the youth workers. After all, Sankarit employees’
function as a team and they have a better chance of reaching their objective when they work together. An example of the benefits is knowing one’s own strengths and their teammate´s strengths. One may be knowledgeable about sports-related topics while another may be an expert in music. When one of
these topics arise the youth workers may know whose council to direct the youth so that they may have a more knowledgeable person to talk to.
It is highly recommended that all the youth workers participate in the debriefing both for their own wellbeing and for the wellbeing of the team. Each youth worker is different, everyone might not have anything to share on each occa-sion while others may need more time for sharing. Nonetheless, it is advisable for each youth worker to both listen and share information, feelings, and ideas in the debriefing. Debriefing is always confidential.
Each person has their personal boundaries. For example, one person might accept hugging while another person might find that uncomfortable. There are no right and wrongs within personal boundaries. As a rule, no one is obligated to tolerate behavior that makes them uncomfortable. One of the tasks of a youth worker is also mentoring the youth on developing their social skills and learning what is acceptable behavior and what is not. In the case of hugging, for example, it is recommended for youth workers to explain to the youth, that before giving a hug one must always ask for consent from the other person, whether they accept, or decline being hugged. Another type of boundary in-volves how much information about one’s personal life one is comfortable with sharing. Yet again, there are considerable differences with each person, how-ever as a rule, no one is obligated to share any personal information. Howhow-ever, in the atmosphere of trust and friendship, it is important to avoid being rude and to focus on how one frames their answers.
Youth workers must also consider what kind of behavior is acceptable from their own behalf. It is natural for youth to have temper tantrums from time to time. Youth workers are also people and can experience frustration and dis-appointment, albeit for professional reasons they may not express them in tan-trums or outbursts. If these emotions arise, one is required to be in control or exit the situation. However, it is advisable in the spirit of mentoring the youth on developing their social skills, to verbally express different emotions along with explanations to the reason behind why they occur (Harrison & Wise 2010, 119). For example, one youth may be continuously using foul language. In that
instance, the youth worker may express to them “I think you are much funnier when you don’t use dirty words so much” or something similar.
Legislation that applies to Sankarit youth work is the Constitution of Finland, Youth Act, and the Social Welfare Act. The Constitution of Finland dictates,
“No one shall, without an acceptable reason, be treated differently from other persons on the ground of sex, age, origin, language, religion, conviction, opin-ion, health, disability or other reason that concerns his or her person” (L 731/1999). This ensures basic human rights to all people. Youth Act aims to support the growth of the youth, independence, community, and the advance-ment of skills related to these areas. According to the act, youth are people under the age of 29 (L 1285/2016). The Youth Act was reformed in 2016 (Mis-try of Education and Culture, 2016). The Social Welfare Act is intended to se-cure the wellbeing and social security of all Finnish Citizens. Social Welfare Act applies to social services, income support and social support systems (L 1301/2014.) Sankarit youth workers are not anticipated to be knowledgeable of the above-mentioned laws by heart. However, they need to exist in the guidebook as reference and support.